taylor



- No. 608,489. Patented Aug. -2, I898.

W. H. TAYLOR. LATCH OPERATING MECHANISM. (Appliction filed .m 24, 1897.)

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WARREN H. TAYLOR, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE YALE & TOWNE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

LATCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,489, dated August 2, 1898.

Application filed July 24,1897. Sria1Nb.645,854. (amt-t1.)

To all whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN. H. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latch-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. It is desirable in constructing locks to get the lock-hub as near as practicable to the edge of the case in order to leave as much space as possible between the lock-hub and the keyhole to avoid inconvenience or interference between the hand and the key when operating the knob, or vice versa. In order to obtain this obj ect,the latch-operating mechanism hasnecessarily been complicated somewhat and has not always been satisfactory.

My present invention. seeks to simplify construction of the latch-operating mechanism and increase its efficiency, While leaving the latch free to recede independently of the looking mechanism, and, if desired, providing it with a projecting spring independent of that which controls the operatingmechanism.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction, which are hereinafter fully described, and particularly'pointed out in the claims. 7

In order'that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichv I Figures 1 to 4 show a portion of a lock-case containing various forms of devices, similar in operation, for retracting the latch-bolt, all of which will be hereinafter fully described. In each of the several embodiments of my invention herein illustrated, 1 represents the lock-case; 2, the latch-bolt, having a tail 2 3, the latch-operating radial arm, and 4 the lock-hub which carries said arm. It will be understood that the arm 3 engages in oppoarm of a bell-crank lever 20, pivoted at 21 to the casing Also pivoted at 21 is an easyspring lever 24., which at its other end is pivoted to the tail of the bolt 2. A lip is turned up from the end of the bell-crank lever 20, which engages withthe end of the easy-spring lever 24, so that when said bell-crank lever 20 is actuated by the motion of the hub it will bear against the easy-spring leverand thus actuate the latch; but when the: latch is pushed back by the closing of the door it will merely have to overcome the easy-spring and not the spring of the bell-crank lever. In

this form I provide two springs 22 and 23,

which are arranged on the levers 17 and 24, as shown, and when either of the levers is moved by the arm 3 to retract the bolt the springs are compressed, and when the arm is released they project the bolt. When the latch is pushed back by the closing of the door, only the easy-spring 23 is compressed.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the pivoted bellcrank lever 7 has secured to it at one end a link 24, the other end ofwhich is secure'd' to'a lever 25, pivoted onithe pin 26. The end of this link bears against a lever 27, also pivoted to the pin 26, and this lever is connected to the bolt at 28. The levers 7 and 27 are each provided with the usual spring. As will be seen from the drawings, the arm 3 bears against the free end of the lever 7 and against the lever 25, and when the arm is turned in either direction the link 24.

-will be moved, andlits end will move the lever 27, which will retract the bolt, compressing at the same time both of the springs. As soon as the arm is released the springs will return the parts to normal position. When the latch is pushed back by the closing of the door, the easy-spring lever 27 is alone moved.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 I employ the lever 29, having a bell-crank action on its pivot 30. It is provided with a tooth or projection 31, which fits between the teeth 32 on a lever 33, pivoted at 3 1, 35 represents a third lever, also pivoted at 3 1 and connected with the bolt 3 and the levers 33 by the pin 36. The arm 3 in this form bears against a projection 37 on the lever 29 and a projection 38 on the lever a). The operation of this form will be clearly understood, for it will be seen that in whichever direction the arm 3 is moved the lever will be moved and the bolt thus retracted. This form is also provided with the springs l0 and easy-spring ell, arranged as shown and adapted to return the parts to normal position.

In the form shown in Fig. 4: I employ two bell-crank levers L2 and 43, pivoted at il and and in engagement with each other through the medium of the intermeshing teeth 46. 47 represents a third lever, pivoted at 1 8 and connected with the bolt 2 by the pin 49. The levers l2 and 43 are also provided with the projections 50 and 51, with which the arm 3 engages, and the projection 51 is also in e11- gagement with the pin 4:9, so that when the lever 13 is moved either by the arm or by the teeth on the lever l2 it will force the pin backward and thus retract the bolt. The lever -12 is provided with the spring 52 and the lever 4-7 with the easy-spring 53, which are adapted to return the parts to normal positions. The dotted lines show the position of a portion of the levers 43 and 47 when the bolt is in retracted position.

I prefer to have the levers in substantially the form of a bell-crank lever and to have them formed with intermeshing teeth at one end, while each has its other end free to be impinged by one side of the lock-hub projeetion. This permits the levers to be fulcru med, respectively, below and to one side of the lock-hub, while the latter may be mounted in one corner of the lock-casing and have its projection extend in a substantially diagonal direction. I may accomplish substantially the same purpose, however, by having one of the lovers in the form of a bell-crank lever and having its lower end positively connected to some point in the other lever by a link, which will cause either of said levers to move the other positively in both directions.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In alatoh-operating mechanism, the com bination of a latch, a lock-hub having a latelroperating arm, a single pivoted latchlever having its free end projecting on one side of and in engagement with said latchoperating arm and in engagement with the latch, a second lever projecting on the other side of and in engagement with said latchoperating arm, and a connection between the second lever and the latch-lever which transmits from the second lever to the latchlever, the same movement which is imparted to saidlatchdever, by thelatch-operatingarm, substantially as explained.

2. In alateh-operatingmechanism, the combination with a latch, a lock-hub having a latch-operating arm, a pivoted latch-lever having its free end impinged. by one side of said latch-operating arm and in engagement with the latch, and a second lever impinged by the opposite side of said latch-operating arm; said latch-operating lever and second lever being in the form of hell-crank levers separately pivoted and provided with engaging teeth on theirends distant from their ends impinged by the latch-operating arm, and said levers being proportioned to transmit to the latch, the same movement through the second lever and latch-lever when said second lever is engaged by said latch-operating arm as is imparted directly to said latch by impingement of the latch-operating arm on the latch-lever, substantially as herein set forth.

\VARREN ll. TAYLOR.

Vitnesses: 

